Felt-tightener for paper-making machines.



B. D. COPPAGE.

FELT TIGHTENER FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2.19MB.

Patented Feb. 22, 1916.

lllllllllllll mmumuumumui BENJAMIN DENVER COPPAGE, OF WILMINGTON,DELAWARE.

FELT-TIGHTENER, FOR PAPEIRFMAKING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 22, 1916.

Application filed September 2, 1915. Serial N 0. 48,673. i I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'BENJAMIN DENVER COPIAGE, a resident of \Vilmington,Delaware, (whose post-office address is care of The Pusey & JonesCo-mpanyflVilmington, Delaware,) have invented a new and usefulImprovement in F elt-Tighteners for Paper- Making Machines, whichinvention is fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention is an improvement in tighteners for felts onpaper-making machines, and the object of the invention is to provide adevice of the, character described which will be simple in construction,which will operate with the minimum of friction, which will be automaticin its action, and which will subject the felt at all times to uniformtension, to the end that the strain on the felts and on the variousrolls is re duced to a minimum, and which will insure the properdryingof the paper.

The dry part of a paper-making machine usually consists of a pluralityof steam-heated cylinders around each ofwhich is passed a felt or anumber of felts, depending upon the class of machine and the kind ofpaper it is intended to make. In some types of dry parts intended forhandling heavy paperor board, no felts are used. VVhere felts arerequired, they are used in order to secure intimate contact between thepaper to be driedand the steam-heated surface of the driers around whichthe paper is passed. In order to secure proper contact of the paper withthe surfaces of the steam-heated cylinders, proper felt tension isnecessary, inasmuch as the paper passes between the felt and the driercylinders.

Paper passing through the dry part of a paper-making machine shrinksboth longitudinally and laterally; that is, the paper grows shorter asit becomes drier. On the other hand, the so-called felt, which in thedry part of a paper-making-machine is composed of canvas or cotton,grows shorter as it becomes wetter, and longer as it becomes drier. Thistendency to lengthen and shorten is most noticeable and greatest whenthe paper breaks; that is, the felt grows longer when, it runs directlyagainst the driers with no paper between, at which time it becomes drierand longer. In modern machines, these felts sometimes lengthen at therate often to fifteen feet per minute when the felt comes into directcontact with the drying cylinders. \Vhen wet paper comes between saidwheels and-sleeve.

of'standards 10, here shown as four n mun-- for a between the felt andthe driers, the felt he comes saturated, and therefore shorter,automatically making for the desired tension which brings the paper intointimate con.- tact with the drier surfaces. The shrinking of the feltwould, however, be destructive to itself or to the rolls around which ittravels, if there were not provided a mechanism which would allow forthe shrinkage, thls mechanism also acting as a tightener to take up theslack in the felt when the latterlengthens. It is,accordingly, of thegreatest,

importance that this mechanism should be as sensitive as possible andthat, to this end, it should operate with the minimum of friction. I

The present invention consists in anarrangement of parts which operateswith great certainty, sensitiveness and minimum of friction, andmaintains a'predetermined tension upon the felt, this tension operatinguniformly throughout the entire width of the felt.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing,

illustrating one expression" of the inventive idea, and wherein- Figure-1 is a plan view of the felt-tightener of the present invention; Fig.2' is a side view in elevation; and Fig.3 is-a transverse sectional Viewon theline 33 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, wherein likereference numerals indicate like parts, 5-5

indicate the dry part frame on which are mounted parallel tracks or ways66 on each of which runs a wheel 7. Each of these wheels 7-7 rotates ona bearing piece or sleeve 8 (one of which is'shown in Fig. 3), avroller-race 9 being preferably interposed A plurality her, are carriedby the frameb, two oneach side of the frame, the standards on the righthand side supporting an upper rail 11, and those on the left hand sideof the machine a similar rail 11.

ed on bearing sleeves 8, a ball-race 13 being interposed between eachwheel and bearing. Wheels12 "rotate independently of wheels 7, reasonhereinafter stated. The balls 9 and 13 are held in asvwashers 14. I

Through each bearing sleeve or piece 8 projects one of the two journals15 with which a roller 16 is provided, said'journals The rails 11 and 11are engaged by wheels 12 which are also mount place by suitable means,

being securely held in place in said bearings by collars 16, but freelyrotating in said sleeves. A felt 17 passes around this roller 16, andthe lengthening or shortening of said felt, by the wetting or drying ofthe same, results in a movement of said roller along the tracks or ways.Suitable means are pro vided for automatically moving-the roller 16 totake up slack in the felt 17 and preferably around each bearing sleeveor piece 8 there is arranged a shackle 18 (Fig. 3) each shackle beingprovided with a screw-threaded rod 19 which carries nuts 20 and 21between which are clamped a stirrup piece 22. To eachstirrup piece isattached, by suitable means, as pin 23, one end of a chain or connection4, to the other end of which" is secured an adjustable weight 25. Eachchain or connection 24- passes over a suitable sprocket wheel 26, one ofwhich is mounted on each end of a shaft Qlprovided with journals 28 thatare carried by brackets 29 and 30 supported on the frame 5.

The weights 25, preferably one on each side of the device as shown, areof suitable size to tighten the felt the desired amount. Sometimes thefelt is longer 'onone edge than the other, and therefore it frequentlyhappens that the roll 16 is operated to advantage out' of square. Thiscan be effected by adjusting nuts 20 and 21 on one side of the machine.

' The construction described results in. a tightener which is verysensitive and highly efficient'in operation, the. pull on the felt beinguniform throughout its width. Wheels 7, engaging the lower tracks canrotate in one direction,whilewheels 12, engaging the upper tracks are,at the same time, rotating in the opposite direction, this independentmounting and rotation of wheels 7 and 12 permitting bodily movement ofthe roller 16 with a minimum of friction. This construction can bereadily introduced into, and effectively used in, existinginstallations, and whether the position of the felt is such as to causethe wheels to bear stronger on the upper or lower rails. In, theconstruction illustrated the sprocket wheels 26 are slightly elevatedwith respect to'the points of attachment of chains 24: with pins 23,with the result that the pull of theweights 25 tends to lift the wheels7 slightly off the lower tracks 6. The shaft 27 is made rigid enough toprevent undue torsion.

While for the purpose of illustration, one expression of the inventiveidea has been shown and illustrated in considerable detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the construction shown,but that the inventive idea is susceptible of various mechanicalexpressions within the limits of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a'device of the character described,

a roll provided with a journal at each end, a pair of wheels carried byeach ournal, a lower track for one wheel of each pair, an

upper track for the other wheel of each pair,

a bearing interposed between each journal and itswheels, andgravity-actuated means for displacing said roll along said tracks.-

2. In a deviceof the character described,

a roll provided with a journal at each end, a pair of wheels carried byeach ournal, a lower track for one Wheel of each pair, an

and connections between said weights and bearings.

3. In a device of the character descrlbed, a

roll provided with a journal at each end, a I pair of wheels carried byeach ournal, a

lower track for onewheel of each. pair, an upper track for the other,wheelof each pair, a bearing interposed between each journal and itswheels, a weight for each bearing, and connections between said weightsand bearings, said connections passing over wheels slightly elevatedwith respect to the;

point of attachment between said connections and bearings.

4., In a device of the character described, a roll provided with ajournal at each end,

a pair of wheels carried by each journal, a

lower track for one wheel of each pair, an

upper track for the other wheel of each pair,

a bearing interposedv between each journal and its wheels, a Weight foreach bearing,a

chain connecting each bearing and its weight, and a chain sprocket foreach chain slightly elevated with respect to the point of attachmentbetween each chain and "itsbearing.

5. In a device of the character described, a roll provided With? ajournal at each end, a pair of wheels carried by each journal, a lowertrack for one wheel of each pair,'an

upper track for the other wheel of each pair,

a bearing interposed between each ournal and its wheels, a roller-raceinterposed between each wheel and its bearing, andgravity actuated meansfor displacing said roll along said tracks.

6. In a device ofthe character described, a roll provided with a journalat each end,v a pair of independently rotatable wheels carried by eachjournal, at lower:track for one wheel. of each pair, an upper track forthe other wheel of each pair, and means for displacing said roll alongsaid tracks.

7. In a device of'the character described,

a roll provided with a journal at each end, a 1

pair of independently rotatable w ried by each journal, a lower trackfor one wheel of each pair, an upper track for-the other wheel of eachpair, and means automatically displacingsaid roll along, said tracks.

heels car i lit) 8. In a device of the character described, a rollprovided with a journal at each end, a pair of independently rotatablewheels carried by each journal, a lower track for one Wheel of eachpair, an upper track for the other wheel of each pair, andgravityactuated means for displacing said roll along said tracks.

9. In a device of the character described, a felt, a roll around whichthe felt passes, a pair of independently rotatable wheels provided ateach end of the roll, a lower track for one wheel of each pair, an uppertrack for the other wheel of each pair, and means for displacing saidroll along said tracks.

10. In a device of the character described,

a roll provided with a journal at each end, a Wheel carried by eachjournal, a track for each wheel, a sleeve interposed between eachjournaland wheel, a member associated with each sleeve, andgravity-actuated means connected to said members.

11. In a device of the character described, a roll provided with ajournal at each end, a wheel carried by each journal, a track for eachwheel, a sleeve interposed between each journal and wheel, a membersurrounding each sleeve, and gravity-actuated means connected to saidmembers.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN DENVER GOPPAGE.

Witnesses:

H. J. FEENEY, EDWARD MARTIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

